Stepladder



F. J. CARONIA.

STEPLADDER.

I I APPLICATION flLED "AR. 5, I921- 1,415,791 v Patented May 9, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVE Ton WITNESSES f'E/VNKobSEP/I awn AITOIHIEYS Mow/Ma UNITED STATES PATENT OFF'MZE.

FRANK JOSEPH CARONIA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STEIPLADDER.

Application filed March 5,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK Josnrn (income, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New proved Stepladder, of which the follmving is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to step ladders having side props, such, for instance, as shown and described in the Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,135,763, git-antedto me on April 13, 191.5.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved step ladder arranged toinsure a firm hold on the floor or ground without danger of toppling over sidewise.

Another object is to permit of readily setting the ladder up on uneven ground or other support.

Another object is to simplify the construction of the step ladder and to render the same exceedingly strong and durable.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the i1nproved step ladder with the parts in an ex" tended or set up position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the parts in a folded position;

l igure 3 is a plan view of the improved step ladder with the parts in an extended. position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the same on the line H of Figure 1; I

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional front elevation of the same on the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sectional connecting brace and the side prop brace; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged rear side elevation of the lower portion of one of the extension side props.

The step ladder in its general constructlon comprises a ladder 10, back prop sect on 11 and two side props 12. The ladder 10 is pro- Specification 01" Letters Patent.

York have invented a new and 1111- Patented May 9, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 449,737.

vided at its upper end with crosspieces 15 and a top shelf 16, and the back prop section 11 is pivotally connected at its upper end to bolts 17 held in the crosspieces 15 to allmv the back prop section 11 to swing rearardly into an extended position, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, or forwardly into folded position, as shown in Figiiire 2.

The side rails 20 of the ladder 10 are pivotally connected by sectional connecting braces 21. with the back prop section. 11, and each of the saidbraces 21 has its sections 22 and 23 connected with each other by a bolt 2st. The section 23 is provided with a top notch 25 (see particularly Figures 1 and 6) adapted to be engaged by an angular lug 26 formed on the other section 252 to limitthe downward swinging motion of the sections 22 and 23 at the time the said sections reach an approximately horizontal position. Each of the side props 12 is pivotally connected by a brace 30 with. the corresponding side brace 21, and for this purpose the inner end of the brace 30 is provided with a hinge member 31 mounted to swing on the pivot 24 previously mentioned and which connects the sections 22 and 23 of the brace 21 with each other. By this arrangement the brace 30 can swing independently of the corresponding brace 21 thereby permitting the side prop 12 to be conveniently opened fully, or partly in case the brace 21 is not fully opened up. Furthermore, the side prop 12 is free to swing independently of the brace 21 into a desired angular position, that is, nearer to the front or the rear as desired by the The upper end of each side prop 12 is pro vided with an L-shape il top piece preferably made of metal, and mounted to swing on a vertically disposed bolt 36, attached to the top shelf 16, as plainly shown in Figure 5. The top piece 35 abuts against the under side of a wear or rubbing plate 37 held on the under side of the top shelf 16 to prevent undue wear on the top shelf on swinging the side prop 30 into extended or folded position and at the same time the wear or rubbing plate 37 reinforces the top shelf 16.

In order to permit of accommodating the side props 12 on uneven ground or other supporting surface each of the props 1E2 provided at its lower end with an extension leg 10 provided with a slot 41. through which extend bolts 12 held on the lower end of the side prop 12, and on loosening the wing nuts of the bolts 42 the extension legs 40 can be moved down or up until they are firmly set on the surrounding ground to cause the props 12 to firmly prop the step ladder in a sidewise direction.

As plainly illustrated in Figure 2 the top or attaching plate 35 is provided with an angularly extended portion which firmly engages the under side of the top shelf so that the strain on the top of the ladder will be transmitted directly through the side braces. In other words the strain on the ladder is not transmitted entirely through the pivot elements 36, but is transmitted through the attaching plates 35 and the side props 12.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of a ladder having a top shelf, of a back prop for the ladder, a prop brace consisting of pivotally connected sections joined with the ladder and the prop, an attaching plate having an angularly extended portion flatly contacting with the under side of said top shelf and rotatably connected to the same, and a side prop flatly secured to said attaching plate and having its upper end engaging the angularly extended portion of said attaching plate.

2. The combination of a ladder having a top shelf, of a back prop for the ladder, a prop brace consisting of pivotally connected sections joined with the ladder and the prop, an attaching plate having an angularly e.\'- tended portion flatly contacting with the under side of said top shelf and rotatal'ily connected to the same, a side prop flatly secured to said attaching plate and having its upper end engaging the angularly ex- 1 FRANK JOSEPH CARONIA. 

